Market Basket slashes hours for part-timers

RAYNHAM — About 350 part-time workers at Raynham’s Market Basket found out they haven’t lost their jobs, they just won’t be working or getting paid.

While Market Basket’s new CEO Felicia Thornton released a statement instructing store management to tell their workers they are still employees, Raynham store manager Steve Distasio said he has been told to slash part-time hours.

“Felicia Thornton sent out an email that because of drop in business, we as managers had to adjust schedules,” Distasio said. “Thus pretty much giving no part-timers hours next week.”

Distasio said he has reached out to the state attorney general’s office and the Department of Labor Relations about unemployment filings.

“(We) have about 350 part-timers and if the board of directors doesn't vote (Friday) to fix this then next week there will be no hours for the part-timers,” Distasio said via text message. “We are told we must make production with new business numbers, but it is (a) Catch-22. There is no product to fill (the) store thus no customers and volume. We are not able to schedule hardly any hours for our employees.”

Distasio estimates the Raynham store, and most other Market Basket stores, are pulling in less than 10 percent of their usual revenue due to the protests and shear lack of product on the shelves.

Attorney General Martha Coakley opened a hotline for employees “due to the evolving circumstances and with a significant uptick in calls from Market Basket employees over the past 24 hours.”

The hotline, staffed by the AG’s Fair Labor Division, can be reached by calling 617-963-2400.

"All store directors are to let their associates know that they are not laid off," Thornton said in a statement. “All store directors as part of their normal responsibilities are able to and often do reduce hours but they need to make clear when doing so that the individuals are still employees.”

Coakley’s office received more than 100 calls in a 24-hour period from Wednesday to Thursday. A press release from her office said more calls were expected.

Last week, Coakley and New Hampshire Attorney General Joseph Foster co-signed a letter to Market Basket leadership “reminding them of the laws surrounding worker terminations.”

“Market Basket is a major employer in Massachusetts, and we remain hopeful that the parties will come together to reach a positive resolution and restore the vibrancy of the business,” Coakley said. “With the rapidly evolving circumstances, we have established this hotline to answer questions directly from workers and make sure their rights are being protected.”

The Facebook group operating as “Save Market Basket” posted a message titled “Not Laid Off, but Not Scheduled” Thursday afternoon:

“F&G have issued a statement which informs the public that they have directed stores to inform workers that they are not laid off. They also have required store directors to schedule people according to their current store volume. So in essence they want to hold our part time associates hostage.”

The administrators of the “Save Market Basket” page also posted their message on their We Are Market Basket website, www.wearemarketbasket.com.

“They want to let them know that they are not able to be scheduled for work next week but they also will not be laid off where they then could collect unemployment … Their directive is shameful,” the statement concludes.

Market Basket employees are not unionized. In fact, the protest movement’s inspiration, ousted CEO Artie T. Demoulas, has not been a supporter of organized labor in the past.

Despite the workers’ at-will employment, The United Food and Commercial Workers union posted a message to Market Basket employees.

“Are you worried about the future of Market Basket? Do you want to make sure your benefits are protected? Have you had your hours cut? Are you worried about getting your next paycheck? You have rights at work, and we can help you stand up to make Market Basket the best workplace it can be.”

The UFCW is the nation’s largest union of grocery store workers, and says it “is standing with Market Basket employees.”

They urged employees who have been “illegally targeted” to contact UFCW Local 1445, and have offered to “help file charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).”

Elaine Russo, a Raynham bus driver, volunteered her time to transport local employees to the first big protest rally.

Her daughter works part-time at Market Basket and called her mother in tears Thursday morning.

“They’re scared they’ll wind up losing their jobs,” Russo said. “They’re very proud of themselves for standing up for their beliefs. I’ve never seen such unity. For this group of people to take this sort of stand, that really says something about the unity of the American people.”

Russo’s daughter’s name has been withheld at her mother’s request.

“They have no job security,” Russo said. “These days and times, you need job security. They’re all employees at-will. In today’s economy you need job protection. Times are so tough economically that it’s just unbelievable the way these guys have come together without a union. It says something for this Artie T. This character is just so phenomenal.”

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.